Ghana, Belarus Explore Agricultural Partnership to Boost Productivity

Ghana and Belarus are exploring new avenues for economic cooperation, with agricultural mechanisation and expanded trade emerging as central priorities.

During a bilateral meeting, Belarusian envoy Maxim Ryzhenkov acknowledged that ties between the two countries remain limited but hold promise for growth. He invited Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to visit Belarus to assess potential areas of collaboration, particularly in agriculture.

Ryzhenkov said Belarus is well positioned to support Ghana by supplying advanced farming equipment, agricultural services, and training in modern technologies to boost productivity. Ablakwa welcomed the proposal, describing Belarus as a technologically advanced agricultural partner that could help “unlock greater efficiency and advancement in Ghana’s agriculture.”

Trade between the two nations remains modest but shows signs of opportunity. In 2023, Ghana’s imports from Belarus totaled just $300,000, mostly vehicles, cereals, toys, rubber, carpets, and dairy products. Ghana’s exports to Belarus stood at $546,000 in 2021, largely cocoa paste, cocoa powder, and rubber.

The trade balance has tended to favor Belarus. In 2021, Belarus exported about $3.3 million worth of goods to Ghana, including machinery, fertilizers, meat products, and equipment.

To expand this base, Belarus has proposed establishing an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation with Ghana. Discussions have centered on scaling up supplies of Belarusian machinery and equipment, advancing agricultural mechanisation, and supporting the entry of Ghanaian products into Belarusian and Eurasian markets.

Both sides are also examining ways for their commodity exchanges to collaborate in agricultural products such as soybeans, corn, rice, meat products, flour, and wheat gluten, with the goal of facilitating mutual supplies and sharing price data and technology.

These efforts could help build on earlier contacts, including a pre-election visit to Belarus by president John Dramani Mahama, and serve as a foundation for stronger commercial ties between the two countries.

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